20 Cheapest High Protein Foods

1. Peanuts

Protein per £1: 105g

Source: Stockwell & Co Roasted & Salted Peanuts (Tesco)

Moderation is key. Salted peanuts happen to be the cheapest of the bunch – it’s not rocket science to figure these contain a high amount of salt. High sodium intake can cause high blood pressure, among other health problems. But as a snack or treat, these are ideal.

Although not on this list, cashews and walnuts are worth a mention.

The cheapest source of nuts I’ve found is actually Aldi, however I haven’t put Aldi’s on this list because they don’t have their prices online and I’m unsure if their prices are consistent nationwide. So if you have an Aldi nearby, check them out. The walnuts and cashews I get from there are a lot cheaper than both Tesco and online wholesalers.

2. Peanut Butter

Protein per £1: 82g

Source: Crunchy Peanut Butter (Tesco)

Admittedly Tesco Crunchy Peanut Butter is probably not the best option in regards to health if consumed excessively (then again, what is?) But, after all, this is about the cheapest high protein foods, and with 82g of protein per £1, it certainly is cheap.

If you’re looking for a higher quality, natural alternative I can recommend Myprotein’s All-Natural Peanut Butter. It’s a fair bit pricier, providing 47g of protein per £1, but the quality difference is noticeable. Myprotein are frequently holding sales and pretty much always have some decent active discount codes, so it’s likely you’ll be able to get a better deal.

3. Poached Eggs

Protein per £1: 45g

Source: 15 British Mixed Weight Eggs (Tesco)

Scrambled eggs will offer the same number, but poached eggs are my preference because of the oil (and butter) required to make scrambled or fried eggs not stick to the pan and/or actually taste good. Failing that, raw eggs.

I’m sure prices will be similar from most supermarkets, but in this case Tesco seemed to be the cheapest. Next in line would be Asda’s Big & Fresh 10 Medium Eggs, offering 33g protein per £1.

If you can afford an extra couple of pence per egg, you should opt for free range eggs.

4. Baked Beans

Protein per £1: 55g

Source: Stockwell & Co Baked Beans In Tomato Sauce (Tesco)

Baked beans are cheap and a superb source of protein, fibre, calcium and iron. Unless flatulence is a big problem for you, then there’s no reason baked beans can’t be a staple in your diet.

Runner up is Asda’s Baked Beans at 49g per £1. If you don’t eat much bread and find baked beans in tomato sauce too boring to consume without toast, you could always opt for Baked Beans and Pork Sausages instead; they offer 33g protein per £1 from Tesco.

5. Tuna in Brine

Protein per £1: 46g

Source: Stockwell & Co Tuna Chunks In Brine (Tesco)

Hopefully you have some sort of fish in your diet. It turns out that tuna chunks are the cheapest option here. According to Tesco, their own brand of tinned tuna is dolphin friendly.

Asda’s Skipjack Tuna Chunks in Spring Water comes in at 39g per £1. Tins of sardines and mackerel come close in terms of value for protein, so consider them if you want some variety.

If you’re after something higher quality than tuna from a tin, consider Tuna Fillets from Musclefood.

6. Pork Sausages

Protein per £1: 76g

Source: Butcher’s Choice 20 Pork Sausages (Tesco)

Pork sausages are surprisingly a very cheap source of protein. Pair them with some poached eggs and beans and you have yourself a cheap, protein-rich breakfast! I’m not going to recommended eating a full English breakfast every day of the week; too much saturated fat can lead to high cholesterol.

The Butcher’s Choice Pork Sausages are frozen sausages. If you would prefer fresh sausages, Tesco’s Woodside Farms Pork Sausages and Asda’s Thick Pork Sausages offer 38g per £1 and 34g per £1, respectively.

If you can’t eat pork or it’s not to your taste, then an alternative is Musclefood’s Chicken Breast Sausages. You get a less protein for your money – 26g protein per £1 – but they do have less than five times the saturated fat, twice the protein and a lot less calories than the pork sausages. There are also a number of Musclefood discount codes available, so this may actually be a healthier and more cost effective option.

7. Red Lentils

Protein per £1: 182g

Source: Laila Red Split Lentils (Asda)

Another vegetarian-friendly option. Both Tesco’s and Asda’s own brand are similar in value, so feel free to opt for them if this particular brand isn’t available.

Tesco’s Natco Red Lentils provide less protein per £1 (129g per £1) but for the same number of calories contain almost twice as much fibre (30.5g per 100g vs 17g per 100g).

Lentils are ideal for making healthy curries. An alternative to lentils are Chickpeas (also on this list).

8. Beef Mince

Protein per £1: 48g

Source: JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Beef Mince (Asda)

Beef mince is another versatile food that can be eaten as is or used to create burgers, meat balls, Shepard’s Pie and a whole host of tasty dishes.

Tesco’s Beef Mince 500G 20% Fat comes in at 37g protein per £1.

Although the cheapest beef mince available, this particular mince is relatively high in fat (which may or may not suit your diet requirements). For a lot of people this may be a bad thing, so consider a less-fatty beef mince, such as Musclefood’s Beef Steak Mince. It’s pricier, but you’ll get the same amount of protein for a quarter of the fat and half the calories.

Also consider the vegetarian alternative, Quorn Mince (further down this list).

9. Cheddar Cheese

Protein per £1: 43g

Source: JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Mild White Cheddar (Asda) & Creamfields Mild Cheddar (Tesco)

Both Creamfields and Asda’s own brand cheddar cheese are the same price and offer the same macros, so this one’s a draw.

Cheddar makes for a great source of cheap protein. That includes melted cheese, too, if ham and cheese toasties are your thing!

Cheddar cheese contains a huge amount of saturated fat, which can be detrimental to your health – so consume in moderation.

If you don’t fancy carrying a block of cheese around with you, consider a more snack-friendly alternative, like Cheese Strings. They make pretty convenient snacks if your protein intake is lacking.

10. Greek Yoghurt

Protein per £1: 36g

Source: ASDA Fat Free Greek Style Yogurt (Asda)

Greek Yoghurt can be used in a number of ways, so there’s no reason you can’t include this in your diet. I personally have it with walnuts and honey for breakfast occasionally, and my partner uses it to make curries; it’s a fairly versatile food.

Tesco’s 0% Fat Greek Style Yogurt comes in at 31g per £1g.

Also consider Asda Greek Style Fat Free Yogurt with Honey which makes for a great snack or desert if you don’t fancy eating plain unsweetened Greek Yoghurt by itself.

It’s worth noting that, typically, the fat-free variations of Greek Yoghurt tend to contain significantly more protein than their regular counterparts. For example, the Asda Greek Style Fat Free Yogurt contains 7g of protein per 100g, compared to just 3.6g in the regular (higher fat content) version.

11. Chicken Breast

Protein per £1: 50g

Source: ASDA Tender Chicken Breast Fillets (Asda)

A list about high protein foods – surely chicken had to be on here somewhere. Are you surprised it’s so low on the list? The fact is, chicken isn’t cheap. Over the years, I’ve tried a number of sources of chicken breasts, from discounted stock at Tesco, to online wholesalers, butchers and markets. When you’re eating two or three chicken breasts a day, regardless of your source, it adds up to a lot of money.

The currently lowest price chicken breasts I can find are from Asda. Tesco’s Willow Farm Chicken Breast Portions come in behind at 39g per £1.

My go-to for chicken breasts however is Musclefood. You’ll pay a premium, but the quality is superior and their hampers offer great value. Not to mention, there are also a number of discount codes available that could provide further savings.

12. Chickpeas

Protein per £1: 168g

Source: Laila Chickpeas (Asda)

Similar to lentils, just not as much protein per £. You can use chickpeas to create nice, thick curries.

Another option, which might be more fitting as a snack, is houmous. Houmous is made from blended chickpeas, sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and occasionally a few extra ingredients for added flavour. While it doesn’t provide the same protein punch as plain chickpeas, houmous is a delicious snack, especially when enjoyed with carrots, cucumber, or pita bread (if it fits within your dietary plan).

13. Soy Protein Isolate

Protein per £1: 76g

Impact Soy Protein (Myprotein)

A great alternative to whey protein, soy protein isolate is made from defatted soy beans and therefore free of lactose.

If you’re on a cut, this protein supplement is your best friend, since it contains almost zero fat and carbs. A shake containing a scoop of soy protein isolate will help you hit your protein macros each day while allowing you to fulfil your carbs and fats with nutrient rich foods.

14. Cottage Cheese

Protein per £1: 34g

Source: Creamfields Cottage Cheese Low Fat (Tesco)

A classic pre-bedtime snack for bodybuilders is cottage cheese and peanut butter. It sounds awful and may get you some funny looks, but both cottage cheese and peanut butter contain slow releasing casein protein, making them perfect to consume before bed. And, believe it or not, they do taste pretty good together!

JUST ESSENTIALS by ASDA Cottage Cheese offers similar macros and comes in at 33g protein per £1.

Although pricier, and therefore less protein per £, consider Tesco Cottage Cheese with Pineapple as an alternative; It’s far tastier to eat alone than plain cottage cheese.

15. Edam Cheese

Protein per £1: 30g

Source: ASDA Edam Cheese (Asda)

An alternative to cheddar. I’ve heard that Edam Cheese Souffle with bacon is delicious.

Tesco’s Mild Edam Wedge Cheese comes in a close second at 28g per £1. I found Edam even cheaper at Aldi, but I’m not sure if it’s nationwide.

16. Semi-skimmed Milk

Protein per £1: 34g

Source: Asda Fresh Milk Semi Skimmed

Notes: You might have heard of GOMAD (Gallon Of Milk a Day). Now, although I don’t advise anyone to drink a gallon of milk a day (that’s a lot of dairy), it’s no surprise that it’s the go-to advice for beginners looking to put on size. It’s cheap, it’s full of protein, and easy to consume a lot of.

Liquid calories are good for anyone on a bulk whose appetite doesn’t quite allow them to hit their macros from whole foods alone. Just keep it in moderation, especially if you’re consuming other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt (which are also on this list!) since Lactose intolerance is fairly common.

17. Turkey Breast

Protein per £1: 33g

Source: Musclefood Lean Turkey Breast Steaks

Notes: These are the cheapest turkey breasts I could find and are actually some of the better ones I’ve had. Turkey is a great choice, with one serving of Musclefood’s Lean Turkey Breast Steaks giving 42g protein, 1g fat and practically no carbs. So, although these aren’t the cheapest on the list, they are absolutely ideal when eating clean so I’d recommend adding them to your shopping list.

18. Quorn Mince

Protein per £1: 26g

Source: Quorn Mince (Asda)

Notes: The final item on the list is vegetarian-friendly quorn mince. I didn’t try this myself until recently, and I was pleasantly surprised with both the taste and nutritional content.

Alternatives to mince are Quorn Sausages and Quorn Peppered Steaks. You won’t get quite as much protein for your money as the mince (16g per £1), but they’re both tasty alternatives and certainly a great choice for vegetarians.

19. Whey Protein

Protein per £1: 23g

Source: Myprotein Impact Whey Protein

Notes: Probably the world’s most popular supplement, so it should be no surprise that it’s on this list – although, not quite a food as such.. but it’s cheap! And you can make porridge and flapjacks with it.

I’m sure most brands of whey protein will offer a decent protein per £ ratio, perhaps with the exception of more premium brands. I’m looking at you, Optimum Nutrition. But, damn, does their chocolate whey taste good.

An alternative would be The Protein Works’ Whey Protein 80, offering 87g protein per £1. I personally haven’t tried this one, but it’s the cheapest alternative I could find from a reputable brand, and that’s without any offers or discount codes applied.

20. Pork Loin Steak

Protein per £1: 23g

Source: Musclefood Prime Pork Loin Steaks

Notes: If you want a break from chicken as your primary source of meat protein, then pork loin steaks may be worth considering.

An alternative, if you’re not a pork-eater, are Tesco Beef Minute Steaks. You’ll get slightly less protein for your money, but more protein per calorie.